Tongans hoe into the great

backyard oil search

From correspondents in Nukualofa and Suva For Tongans, these past few weeks have been almost un bearably exciting, and their excitement has been reflected in the breathless headlines of the government newspaper, the Tongan Chronicle. “OIL IN NUKUALOFA—Confirmed By Austra lian Expert,” shouted the newspaper’s front page on November 8. By November 15 the newspaper had started to scream: NUKUALOFA IS SITTING ON TOP OF OIL FOR MILES —Samples Same As Texas Oil.”

Following the discovery of an oil seepage on the island of Eua ( PIM, October, p. 27), oil fever gripped the kingdom. In early Nov ember, George Faleafa discovered an oil seepage while digging a water well in his garden near Hofoa, on the main island of Tongatapu. This discovery triggered off some Tongan memories. People from various parts of Tongatapu began reporting past incidents in which they had been digging for water when they had struck black, oily stuff.

One of these was Manase Nonu, who reported having struck black substance when digging a well at Fasi about a year ago. He filled in the well thinking that the black substance was of no value.

Oil fever became so widespread that Tongan took to their gardens with hoes in the hope of striking oil.

Both the Hofoa and Fasi dis coveries were confirmed as being oil. Mr. John Grover, Director of Geological Survey, after examining samples of the Fasi oil in November, declared; “Nukualofa is sitting on top of oil bearing rock for miles.

This is the real McCoy. It’s ‘live oil’ —exactly the same oil that is mined in Texas.”

Texas man looks

If anyone knows Texas oil it is Mr. E. G. Wallace, the 3 3-year-old executive vice-president in charge of exploration for the Republic Mineral Corporation of Texas. He was with Mr. Grover in Tonga in November. (He’d been holidaying in Fiji when he heard about the oil on Tongatapu and he hired a plane to take him to Nukualofa. Mr.

Grover accompanied him).

Mr. Wallade inspected the oil sites, spoke to government officials and to King Taufa’ahau, and then

went on to submit a proposal to the Tongan Government on behalf of his company.

On his return to Suva, Mr. Wallace said if concessions were granted in Tonga and if oil was found in com mercial quantities, his company would definitely be interested in probing for oil in other Pacific areas and Fiji in particular.

“We would choose Fiji because it has a stable political climate that is friendly to free enterprise,” he said.

Mr. Wallace asked for a complete set of all geological maps of the Fiji Group and Geological Survey Department bulletins, for study by his company’s specialists.

He said reports of oil seepag would not be necessary before 1 company would start explorations.

But Mr. Wallace’s Repub Mineral Corporation is not the or company interested in Tongan c According to the king (he w speaking at the closing of the 68 parliament—before the confirmati of the Tongatapu oil), “. . . sevei companies have offered to carry c proof prospecting—and one in par cular has stated its willingness spend up to SA2 million during t next year or two on exploratl work . . .” However, the king did r disclose the name of the compa that is willing to spend the SA2 m lion.

The king is excited

Naturally, the king was excited the prospect of oil. However, thou a born optimist, he did not go far as to predict that oil was the in commercial quantities.

He told members of parliamer “If the exciting prospect of an ■ deposit comes to naught; if, afl the closing of the 68th parhame; we return to our homes, to our peoj and to our plantations with a hi resolve and determination to wc harder, then I sincerely believe tt an increasing river of prosperity w continue to flow in our direction,”

In other words the Tongans are: officially banking on oil. They’ll able to manage well enough withe it, although if it does turn out tt the oil is there in commerc: quantities things will be bright indee Meantime, it’s wait and see.

Texas oilman E. G. Wallace puts finger on Fiji. He says his company could be interested in probing for there as well as in Tonga.

Photo: Chandra

One of the oil seepages found on the main Tongan island of Tongatapu. "It's live oil", they said. Photo: Tulua Bros.